The present invention relates to a covering element for manual-use articles, particularly set for laying of at least one fluid substance.
The present invention is also concerned with a manual-use article, such as a pen or similar device for laying a fluid substance, which is provided with the above mentioned covering element.
The invention is adapted for use in any merchandise field and on any manual-use article requiring outer covering for a particularly sensitive and/or delicate portion thereof. With reference to stationery articles for example, the object of the present invention can apply to pens, felt-tip and marking pens, correction fluids, glues and/or similar goods, to protect the tip of same when they are not in use. The present invention can also be widely used in the field of beauty preparations such as lipsticks, mascara, eyeliners and similar products in tubes or sticks. Obviously, the application of the present invention is of such a wide range that it cannot be limited to any specific merchandise field as it spreads over many different sectors.
It is known that covering of particularly sensitive and/or delicate portions of articles such as those mentioned above, usually relies on lids, caps, plugs and/or similar covering elements that are generally applied through screwing and/or mutual engagement by fitting. In particular, when the covering element is put back onto the respective article, at the use portion thereof, the closing element is screwed down or pushed towards the body or the corresponding article through a manual action, until the desired engagement is obtained.
In the same manner as application of the closing element onto the corresponding article takes place, release of the use portion is carried out by unscrewing the covering element or moving it apart until the same is separated from the engaged article. Application and release of the covering element are both executed manually by use of two or more fingers so that full use of the corresponding hand is required.
Where the article is provided with screw-engagement means, for said application and release operations also use of the other hand is required as it must help the first one in imparting a rotation to the article around its longitudinal axis in the opposite direction to the action of the hand active on the covering element. On the contrary, in the presence of means carrying out engagement by fitting, the body of the article is to be pulled in the opposite direction relative to the hand carrying out separation of same.
By virtue of the above, the Applicant has found that while the known covering elements for articles of manual use satisfactorily protect the sensitive and/or delicate portions of the goods to which they are usually applied, they however have some drawbacks and can be improved under different points of view.
In particular, the Applicant has sensed that said covering elements can be improved in relation to disengagement or release of same from the respective articles, and comfort and ease in carrying out this operation.
In fact the Applicant has found that the present articles for manual use compulsorily need use of both hands to cause disengagement of the covering element and/or application of same. While meeting this requirement is usually very simple, it may become particularly difficult when at least one hand of the user is, for any reason, unable to carry out said operations. In other words, the impossibility of use of one hand makes it hard to execute an operation that is apparently easy.
The Applicant has finally sensed that the present techniques for application and/or disengagement of said covering elements can be further facilitated and simplified.